Sorry, Cassie, for stealing your line. It was too good to pass up. Here’s another one of my recent J. Crew pencil skirt buys. Actually, come to think of it, the whole outfit (minus the bag) is J. Crew. Predictable, c’est moi. I really wanted to wear head-to-toe mauve, but I realized that my burgundy cardigan is … burgundy and not even remotely mauve, so I went with black. Snooze-worthy but dependable black – oh how I love thee, let me count the ways.

Last week was rough; between a tough project at work, trying to find time to write, and some personal issues, I was just about done. By Friday, I had more or less decided to hit “pause” on the blog, just to get some breathing room. Having to work on Saturday didn’t help matters. Sunday turned out to be a great day, however – not least because I got my first (5 star!) book review on Amazon US. I was so freaking excited! I have a feeling I have one of you guys to thank for that, so – thank you! You have no idea how much it means. More to the point here, it made me realize that, as much as writing this blog can sometimes be a source of stress, it has also brought me so many opportunities to connect with some really cool people. So, here I am.

Ahem. So, the outfit. I called this “Hitchcock at the office”, because the vibe of the sweater (and skirt) reminded me of something Tippi Hedren might have worn.

The sweater is by Judith & Charles, which is a brand I knew nothing about until I started seeing it at Holt’s (last year?). I think it’s Canadian, but I’m not sure. In any case, I was pretty happy to find this sweater for $20 – I love the boatneck style, and it’s an uber-soft cashmere blend. I’m also, dare I say it, becoming a fan of this oatmeal colour. My friend J., who hates beige, will not approve, I’m sure. But we can still be friends, right?